Visit Salt Lake announces conventions & meetings booked in 2022 third quarter

Visit Salt Lake, the organization the promotes and markets Salt Lake City’s convention and meeting industry, has released a listing of 49 meetings, athletic events and conventions that it booked during the third quarter of 2022. These events will collectively attract approximately 149,500 attendees who’ll occupy more than 247,000 hotel room nights and spend $145 million while in the community, Visit Salt Lake said.

The largest and most notable of these bookings include: 

Council for Exceptional Children is a professional organization dedicated to improving the success of children and youth with disabilities and/or gifts and talents. Salt Lake hosted this Virginia-based organization’s annual convention in 2006. The CEC convention will attract approximately 4,500 attendees who will occupy more than 11,000 hotel room nights and spend $4.3 million while in the community.

Outdoor Retailer is North America’s largest business-to-business tradeshow in the outdoor industry, drawing manufacturers, retailers, reps, designers and media from around the world. The Outdoor Retailer Summer and Winter Markets were held in Salt Lake for 20 years before moving to Denver in 2018. Visit Salt Lake was successful in securing their return in January and June 2023. Approximately 19,000 attendees are expected to attend each show, collectively occupying 82,000 hotel room nights and spending $38 million.

Legends Lacrosse returned to Salt Lake with its “Western Freakshow Invitational” tournament. This event attracted 1,500 athletes, parents, coaches and officials to the Salt Lake City Regional Athletic Complex. These visitors occupied approximately 7,400 hotel room nights and spent $1.5 million while in the community.

American Society of Hand Therapists is a New Jersey-based organization of hand therapy professionals who advance the field of hand and upper extremity therapy through education, advocacy, research and clinical standards. Members include occupational and physical therapists, surgeons, researchers and administrators. Visit Salt Lake bid unsuccessfully for the organization’s 2003, 2006, 2016 and 2021 annual meetings before finally booking them for 2025. The 800 attendees will convene in the Salt Palace convention center, occupy approximately 1,900 hotel room nights and spend $780,000.

EnduroCross Championship Series held a competition at the Maverick Center in September. EnduroCross is an extreme form of motorcycle racing over obstacles such as rocks, logs and boulders. The event attracted more than 2,200 riders, support crew, sponsors and out-of-area spectators who occupied more than 1,800 hotel rooms, primarily in the West Valley region.

Young Living Essential Oils will hold its International Grand Convention at the Salt Palace Convention Center in July 2024. More than 20,000 attendees from around the world are expected to attend, and while here will occupy approximately 50,000 hotel room nights. Young Living Essential Oils is a Utah-based firm that produces essential oils and sells them through a direct sales model.

USA BMX/American Bicycle Association is the world’s largest governing body for the sport of bicycle motocross (BMX).  USA BMX selected the Rad Canyon BMX facility in South Jordan to host the 2022 Great Salt Lake Nationals in August. The event attracted 6,800 riders, family members and support crew.

Qualtrics is a Utah-based company that develops software focused on customer experience, employee engagement and brand enhancement. Salt Lake was selected to host its X4 Experience Summit in March 2023. That conference will draw 9,600 attendees who will occupy approximately 30,000 hotel room nights. While in Salt Lake, the summit attendees will spend $7.6 million.

USA Volleyball is the Colorado Springs-based national governing body for the sport. The organization has held numerous high-profile competitions in Utah, most recently deciding to bring the 2022 North American Cup to Salt Lake in December. This event will be held in the Salt Palace Convention Center where more than 2,100 athletes, parents, friends and coaches will convene. While in town, these visitors will spend approximately $2 million.

The REVEL Big Cottonwood Canyon Marathon was held in September. It attracted nearly 6,000 runners and those from outside the area occupied 3,400 hotel room nights. Visitors who participated in this event spent $5.8 million.